In the passage “The Man on the Moon” by George J. Annas he discusses how people think they are the superior beings and that the people who are not like them are inferior. The ones who feel they're superior feel that they have all the rights. Annas writes about how the Nazis believe they are the superior beings and all the other people are inferior people. They set out to kill and torture the humans that are not German because they feel they do not fit with them. The Nazis believed in eugenics, the study to improve qualities of the human species. They felt that everyone had to look a certain way to their own standards and whoever did not look like them, they would try to do surgeries on them to make them look more like Germans. If they could not do such things they would torture and/or kill them.
In the movie “Gattaca” they portray how only genetically engineered people who are considered “Valid” beings are able to have a higher quality job and that they are more superior to the people who are not genetically engineered who are called the “In-valid” humans. An example shown in this movie is how in-valid Vincent was a janitor and how valid Anton was able to get a higher job status than Vincent just because of their genetics.
In both cases there are groups of people who feel they are considered “perfect” and have ultimate superiority of all humans. The people who think they are superior do not believe in equality. The higher beings think they have an advantage, and that the 'lower' humans don’t have a chance of having. I believe that the superior humans are the ones who are not genetically engineered. In the passage referring back to the Nazis they felt they were better only because of looks. Other than the example of Jesus in the bible, there isn’t anything written anywhere that describes a perfect human, not only that but Jesus’ looks can be interpreted differently. So no one can be sure of what one is supposed to look or be like. When it comes to the movie you can see that the valid humans don’t always go by what’s in their genetics. In the movie there is a part where the old director speaks of how he doesn’t have a violent gene in his body, yet he was the one who killed the new director, or how Irene has a heart defect, or even the fact that Anton wasn’t able to beat Vincent in the last swimming match. If they were genetically engineered to be perfect those instances wouldn’t have happened.
The humans who are not genetically engineered are better only for the fact that they achieved certain strengths on their own, which may or may not be in their genes but they made it possible. They can make things more possible like how Vincent out swam Anton by the carelessness of his life. He made a lot possible by just simply having the motivation. Other than that I believe they are equal because even though the genetically engineered babies are so-called programmed how the parents want them, they are still humans and have emotions and abilities of change just like anyone else.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Blog 11
An “other” to me is someone who lives in a fantasy world. These kinds of people believe the world revolves around them and that whatever they do or don’t do affects the whole world. In reality the world rotates along with everyone in it. These people cannot deal with things that don’t go their way, so they try to always make it their way. When that’s how life really is, not always going your way. They can’t handle not being the center of attention. There are thousands upon thousands of people in the world. You cannot always be the center of attention to a person.
I feel a large distance between those kinds of people compared to myself. I know the realities of the world. When you live in a fantasy world, you will eventually lose your grip of it, and you will be face-planted into the ground. You will get a shock so bad that you won’t know what to do. For myself and others like me, we will know what is coming and we will know how to deal with it. Not like our others who will be stuck in such a conundrum of circumstances that the world will throw at us.
Let’s say we have to do group-work with a person like this. It will be very hard because these kinds of people will not do what they are supposed to and will pile all the work on their “others”, like myself. They will goof off and try to play around instead of doing the work. If you try and tell them what to do, when they don’t want to do it that will also create a problem. The problem will be that the work will not be done and you are left with a headache.
I feel a large distance between those kinds of people compared to myself. I know the realities of the world. When you live in a fantasy world, you will eventually lose your grip of it, and you will be face-planted into the ground. You will get a shock so bad that you won’t know what to do. For myself and others like me, we will know what is coming and we will know how to deal with it. Not like our others who will be stuck in such a conundrum of circumstances that the world will throw at us.
Let’s say we have to do group-work with a person like this. It will be very hard because these kinds of people will not do what they are supposed to and will pile all the work on their “others”, like myself. They will goof off and try to play around instead of doing the work. If you try and tell them what to do, when they don’t want to do it that will also create a problem. The problem will be that the work will not be done and you are left with a headache.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Blog 10
The things I’ve learned in class that I have found most interesting is, how we got to watch a movie and write a blog about it. I believe you can learn new things by different forms of media. You just have to know how to go about it. The thematic concepts I have enjoyed are; illusion and reality, historical examples of illusions, and mythology in the Matrix. The allegory of the cave was not too bad. I like how it all incorporates with each other. I just wasn’t too fond of how the reading was written because I had read a passage about it and it was more modernized.
The concepts I did not enjoy learning was everything about Oedipus the King. I believe that the reading and how it was written was too hard. I am in an English class and I feel if I am to pass this class. This play we have read, and may also do on the pass/fail final, will mess everything up for me. The speech in this play is way too un-modernized. I don’t think many students can fully understand this. We should have something more modern so we can try to show our potential and not have to worry about also understanding a text that is too complex.
I would definitely like to do more assignments through movies. I can get more of an understanding of what is wanted when there is a movie right in front of me opposed to an idea, not that ideas are bad. I would think the only problem with writing about a movie is you can’t always remember certain scenes you want to talk about or certain lines the characters say you feel is important to have in the paper. It is harder to go back and watch the whole movie opposed to going to a website where you researched information. I have also enjoyed the examples of good versus bad parts of the essay. My professor had mentioned that you learn more from reading bad essays than good ones, and I have to agree.
I would like to learn a little bit more of how to get a good thesis sentence, even though I have seen examples I am not sure on how to come about getting a better thesis of what I am writing the paper about. I would also like to understand how to break down the jargon of “Oedipus the King”, so that if I do have to do my final based on it, I don’t have to worry that I am going to fail. I do know about the story and have understood what my professor has explained about it… but if I am to quote something from the play I couldn’t do such a thing for I do not understand where it would be.
I feel that I have grasped what it is to summarize, that even in my essay blog I summarized for the most part instead of writing a better essay. I have not practiced the MLA style yet but I feel it is an easy enough concept of how my professor has explained it, that I would be able to achieve a MLA formatted paper. My weaknesses are definitely my introductory paragraphs along with the thesis. I have always had a problem with them and can’t seem to get better with them. Whenever I have to write a paper the only problem I usually have with them, it’s starting them because I have such a problem with the introductory and thesis part of papers. I feel my conclusions are fine but they can definitely improve.
When it comes to blogging versus writing an actual paper, I don’t really mind the difference because as long as I don’t have to hand in a hand written paper. The thing I do like about the blog is it is easier; it helps me be able to get feed back from anyone, instead of trying to send a word document to my professor and just an email going back and forth. The one thing I definitely appreciate about this class, is that most of the work and writing we have to do, is in-class work. I know that if I would have had a lot of bring home, homework I might not have gotten in on time. I think the only good thing about not doing it in class is that you are not as timed and you have more ability to work on each aspect of the assignment. However that point is not so bad because the better thing about it being a blog is that you can revise what you have written previously.
The concepts I did not enjoy learning was everything about Oedipus the King. I believe that the reading and how it was written was too hard. I am in an English class and I feel if I am to pass this class. This play we have read, and may also do on the pass/fail final, will mess everything up for me. The speech in this play is way too un-modernized. I don’t think many students can fully understand this. We should have something more modern so we can try to show our potential and not have to worry about also understanding a text that is too complex.
I would definitely like to do more assignments through movies. I can get more of an understanding of what is wanted when there is a movie right in front of me opposed to an idea, not that ideas are bad. I would think the only problem with writing about a movie is you can’t always remember certain scenes you want to talk about or certain lines the characters say you feel is important to have in the paper. It is harder to go back and watch the whole movie opposed to going to a website where you researched information. I have also enjoyed the examples of good versus bad parts of the essay. My professor had mentioned that you learn more from reading bad essays than good ones, and I have to agree.
I would like to learn a little bit more of how to get a good thesis sentence, even though I have seen examples I am not sure on how to come about getting a better thesis of what I am writing the paper about. I would also like to understand how to break down the jargon of “Oedipus the King”, so that if I do have to do my final based on it, I don’t have to worry that I am going to fail. I do know about the story and have understood what my professor has explained about it… but if I am to quote something from the play I couldn’t do such a thing for I do not understand where it would be.
I feel that I have grasped what it is to summarize, that even in my essay blog I summarized for the most part instead of writing a better essay. I have not practiced the MLA style yet but I feel it is an easy enough concept of how my professor has explained it, that I would be able to achieve a MLA formatted paper. My weaknesses are definitely my introductory paragraphs along with the thesis. I have always had a problem with them and can’t seem to get better with them. Whenever I have to write a paper the only problem I usually have with them, it’s starting them because I have such a problem with the introductory and thesis part of papers. I feel my conclusions are fine but they can definitely improve.
When it comes to blogging versus writing an actual paper, I don’t really mind the difference because as long as I don’t have to hand in a hand written paper. The thing I do like about the blog is it is easier; it helps me be able to get feed back from anyone, instead of trying to send a word document to my professor and just an email going back and forth. The one thing I definitely appreciate about this class, is that most of the work and writing we have to do, is in-class work. I know that if I would have had a lot of bring home, homework I might not have gotten in on time. I think the only good thing about not doing it in class is that you are not as timed and you have more ability to work on each aspect of the assignment. However that point is not so bad because the better thing about it being a blog is that you can revise what you have written previously.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Blog 7
Television has a large yet an inadequate influence on society. It affects almost everyone in every aspect of their life, with everything that they do. When it comes to television and violence, I believe the repercussion of watching too much violent television does make one more violent. Violence in society doesn't just have to do with violence on television, or even watching too much television. However it does have contribution in some of the violence that has gone on in the world as well as today.
I have many sources, in which Louie told me I should site everything just in case, even if I don't use it... I am just not sure at this time which ones I will use in order to put it in here. I am still assembling what I have for this mid-term.
Bibliography:
"Albert Bandura, Social Learning and his Bobo Doll experiment." YouTube. Web. 22 Apr 2011. -- I used this because it was a visual way to understand what exactly the Bobo Doll is.
"Childhood Exposure to Media Violence Predicts Young Adult Aggressive Behavior, According to a New 15-Year Study." Press Releases. American Psychology Association, 09 Mar 2003. Web. 24 Apr 2011. -- This just supported some of the information I have used. When it comes to the web, you are not sure what is true, so I thought that if I had information from this site as well as the sites where the information repeats it would be safer.
"Children and Television Violence." Abelard Teaching. Abelard, 1999-2008. Web. 24 Apr 2011. -- This website helped with other studies they have done besides the Bobo Doll.
Petersik, Timothy. "Ripon College." Media Violence and Media Influence. J. Timothy Petersik, n.d. Web. 22 Apr 2011. -- This website helped me with the statistics of information I have used in my paper.
Westrup, Hugh. “Reel to Real?.” Weekly Reader / Current Science. 17 Mar. 2000: 10. Print. -- This gave me good examples of what the positives and negatives are of watching television that could contain violence.
I have many sources, in which Louie told me I should site everything just in case, even if I don't use it... I am just not sure at this time which ones I will use in order to put it in here. I am still assembling what I have for this mid-term.
Bibliography:
"Albert Bandura, Social Learning and his Bobo Doll experiment." YouTube. Web. 22 Apr 2011. -- I used this because it was a visual way to understand what exactly the Bobo Doll is.
"Childhood Exposure to Media Violence Predicts Young Adult Aggressive Behavior, According to a New 15-Year Study." Press Releases. American Psychology Association, 09 Mar 2003. Web. 24 Apr 2011. -- This just supported some of the information I have used. When it comes to the web, you are not sure what is true, so I thought that if I had information from this site as well as the sites where the information repeats it would be safer.
"Children and Television Violence." Abelard Teaching. Abelard, 1999-2008. Web. 24 Apr 2011. -- This website helped with other studies they have done besides the Bobo Doll.
Petersik, Timothy. "Ripon College." Media Violence and Media Influence. J. Timothy Petersik, n.d. Web. 22 Apr 2011. -- This website helped me with the statistics of information I have used in my paper.
Westrup, Hugh. “Reel to Real?.” Weekly Reader / Current Science. 17 Mar. 2000: 10. Print. -- This gave me good examples of what the positives and negatives are of watching television that could contain violence.
Blog 8
In the movie "The Matrix" the ignorance shown is that almost all of society is not aware that they are plugged into a system, that is called called the matrix. The people don’t know that they are stuck in the machine (Matrix).
The way they were portrayed to be blissful is by not having knowledge of what was really going on.
The knowledge they express in this movie is how Neo, Trinity, Morphieus and the rest of the gang found out they were in fact plugged into the machine. They find ways to become more knowledgeable about the system in learning new tactics. So that they can try and beat the agents, in order to save all of society. In hope that all of society become aware of what was really going on and how they weren’t really living their lives.
In "Oedipus the King" it shows a lot of ignorance in this play, basically by every character. One main point is how Laius goes to Teiresias and finds out that his not yet born son, will kill him and marry his wife. If he wouldn't have given the child to the messenger to have him killed, he wouldn't have grown up in a city, gone to Teiresias, and fled his city to end up back where he came from. Oedipus shows his ignorance by not knowing who his real parents are. The same ignorance that they are plugged into a machine. They are all blind and cannot see what is right in front of them, or something that should at least be obvious to them. Even if it may not be a simple thing to notice for them, they should have realized something was off, or not right.
When Oedipus goes to Teiresias, he tells Oedipus that he will kill his father and marry his mother. He then leaves his land where he had grown up and ran to the city where he was born. Oedipus didn’t have to move, since he thought those were his real parents he should have just been careful. He should have known that the course of action he would take next would eventually lead him to what the Oracle foretold. The reason he is ignorant is the fact that because he didn't know the people he lived with all of his life were not his real parents. Which made him travel to where his real parents were. Making what Teiresias had predicted for him a reality. The stupidity of these people that they walk right into these problems. They (from the Matrix and Oedpis) let other people control their actions.
The happiness expressed in the play is how Oedipus and Jocasta had lead a happy life while being unaware of the truth. The same with the people being controlled by the Matrix. They all were unaware of the truth and because they didn’t think anything of it, they were all happy.
The way they were portrayed to be blissful is by not having knowledge of what was really going on.
The knowledge they express in this movie is how Neo, Trinity, Morphieus and the rest of the gang found out they were in fact plugged into the machine. They find ways to become more knowledgeable about the system in learning new tactics. So that they can try and beat the agents, in order to save all of society. In hope that all of society become aware of what was really going on and how they weren’t really living their lives.
In "Oedipus the King" it shows a lot of ignorance in this play, basically by every character. One main point is how Laius goes to Teiresias and finds out that his not yet born son, will kill him and marry his wife. If he wouldn't have given the child to the messenger to have him killed, he wouldn't have grown up in a city, gone to Teiresias, and fled his city to end up back where he came from. Oedipus shows his ignorance by not knowing who his real parents are. The same ignorance that they are plugged into a machine. They are all blind and cannot see what is right in front of them, or something that should at least be obvious to them. Even if it may not be a simple thing to notice for them, they should have realized something was off, or not right.
When Oedipus goes to Teiresias, he tells Oedipus that he will kill his father and marry his mother. He then leaves his land where he had grown up and ran to the city where he was born. Oedipus didn’t have to move, since he thought those were his real parents he should have just been careful. He should have known that the course of action he would take next would eventually lead him to what the Oracle foretold. The reason he is ignorant is the fact that because he didn't know the people he lived with all of his life were not his real parents. Which made him travel to where his real parents were. Making what Teiresias had predicted for him a reality. The stupidity of these people that they walk right into these problems. They (from the Matrix and Oedpis) let other people control their actions.
The happiness expressed in the play is how Oedipus and Jocasta had lead a happy life while being unaware of the truth. The same with the people being controlled by the Matrix. They all were unaware of the truth and because they didn’t think anything of it, they were all happy.
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